What Your Arteries Want You to "NO"

Heart disease kills one out of every 3 Americans. Will you or your family members be one of them? Chances are, if you consume the typical American diet, you could very well be at high risk for a fatal heart attack. Educating ourselves is the first step towards reducing our risk for cardiovascular disease.

As you will see in the 6-minute video embedded below, heart disease not only affects the heart muscle itself, but also thousands of miles of blood vessels throughout the body. Incredibly, our bodies contain between 60,000 -100,000 miles of blood vessels, yet the majority of doctors know little about their complexity or about vascular disease. Although there are over 130 accredited medical schools in the U.S., the scientific community fails to recognize its importance. As a result, only a small handful of schools offer courses in vascular medicine.  

Optimal health depends on optimal blood flow. When atherosclerotic plaque builds up on the inside of our arteries, nutrients and oxygen levels are reduced, and our cells starve. Consequently, as the video mentions, "every disease known to man may be generated."  

More importantly, since atherosclerosis is a dietary-induced disease, it can be stopped and even reversed without the use of drugs or surgery. However, since most doctors lack training in vascular disease, they rely on conventional medicine, which is heavily influenced by the pharmaceutical industry. Surgical cardiac interventions are the most commonly performed major procedures in the world, costing over 8 billion dollars a year in the U.S. alone.

In 1998, a pivotal discovery earning the Nobel Prize in Medicine, led to the discovery of a "miracle molecule" called Nitric Oxide (NO). The Nitric Oxide molecule is a gas which is produced inside the endothelial lining of all blood vessels. The endothelial layer consists of a one-cell layer thickness inside the innermost portion of the vessels. This molecule functions as a powerful vasodilator, increasing the flow of blood as needed. It also keeps plaque from forming by creating a healthy endothelium. Nitric oxide levels are constantly changing and are affected by the foods that we eat. This gas lasts for just a few seconds. High fat meals containing animal products, oils, and sugars damage these cells, as well as a sedentary lifestyle and smoking. When the endothelium is healthy, it keeps blood flowing smoothly, acting much like a "teflon" coated surface. An unhealthy endothelial layer attracts and encourages plaque to form. This is why it is so very important to maintain a healthy endothelium. Aggressive diet and lifestyle changes can restore the endothelial lining resulting in production of more Nitric Oxide and a reduction of cardiovascular disease.  

For more information on how diet plays a role in maintaining healthy blood vessels, see:

(1) How Bad Can Just One Meal Be?

(2) Endothelial Cells to the Rescue!

(3) Yes! Heart Disease Can be Reversed Using Diet!

(4) Bypass-Angioplasty Procedures Not Effective

(5) Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease

(6) Caldwell Esselstyn MD Ends Coronary Artery Disease